Computer systems display information that includes graphic objects. An object is a definition of attributes manipulated by a software programming. A graphic object is a visual representation of a geometric shape or animation defined by the object. A graphic object can be a simple square filled with a pattern, to a complex graphic object displaying a pump detailing the housing, shaft, motor and impellers.
A complex graphic object is made up of simple graphic objects such as a point, a line, a curve or geometric sharp. A complex graphic object is also called a graphic element. A user selects from a library of simple graphic objects and graphic elements to build a visual representation of a pump, valve, motor or building. One or more graphic objects are displayed on a physical monitor using a software program. A physical monitor may be separated into one or more logical monitors. Logical monitors are sized and shaped to prevent overlap of graphic objects. U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,307 assigned to Microsoft Corporation titled “LOGICAL MONITOR CONFIGURATION IN A MULTIPLE MONITOR ENVIRONMENT” describes managing graphical content in virtual monitors using one or more physical monitors. A logical monitor is called a virtual monitor.
A typical computer 206 as shown in FIG. 2 includes a central processing unit, memory and disk hardware. The memory runs an operating system and application programs such as a runtime visualization application 102a or a client side visualization application 102b. The disk may contain a visualization configuration repository 202 and a visualization application 102. Computers are interconnected through a network 204. A typical network is a local area network operating on TCP/IP an industry messaging standard. A network may consist of one or more networks behind a firewall or the network is connected to a second network remote from the first network, the remote network is accessible using the internet. An application program or visualization configuration repository may be on the local area network or stored and accessible at the second network over the internet.
The operating system runs a graphic user interface (“GUI”) and the application 102 displays information that communicates to the user. Typically the GUI operates on a desktop metaphor and the screen of the monitor or physical monitor is called a virtual desktop. The desktop monitor or physical monitor is typically a two dimensional template area but three dimensional areas are being more common. Referring to FIG. 5, the area supports graphic objects in one or more panes 108 within a layout 106c. A layout is assigned to a frame 104. A frame resides in the physical monitor area.
Each panel 108 may support a different application or program. In this case, the application may be a word processing program, human machine interface program, desktop publishing, CAD/CAM/CAE, among other applications. A user can display one or more part of the application in a pane. But the user may want more detail than a single physical monitor can display in a pane filling out a window or the maximum area of the monitor. To increase display area a second monitor is used. Referring to FIG. 3b, the user can split a physical monitor into two frames 208, 302 or include a second physical monitor. Each frame 104 can have an output of the application either delivered at the client side 208 or provided by server side 206, subdivide the output or display two different outputs of application. A frame may occupy 100% of the area of a physical monitor where a physical monitor can be one logical monitor 302. Referring to FIG. 4, the user can place the output of the application in all physical monitors 208 (multiple frames can be created in a single physical monitor). The user can move graphic objects between frames and between two physical monitors or two logical monitors, as shown in FIG. 3.